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Could An Artificial Virus Infect The Human Mind?
An interesting article in the Daily Mail speculates that synthetic biology like the artificial life forms created by scientists like Craig Venter could mimic creations of the natural world that infect and control their hosts.
Hessel believes that genetic engineering is the next frontier of computing.
'This is one of the most powerful technologies in the world,' says Hessel 'Synthetic biology - the writing of life.'
'I advocate that cells are living computers and DNA is a programming language.'
SF fans recall the mind-altering virus from Neal Stephenson's 1992 novel Snow Crash and the man-made virus in Ben Mezrich's 1998 novel Reaper.
It could lead, says Andrew Hessel of Singularity University, on Nasa's research campus, to a world where hackers could engineer viruses or bacteria to control human minds.
(Reaper by Ben Mezrich)
Via the Daily Mail; thanks to Moira for the tip on and a reference for this story.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 12/14/2011)
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